All Over Again
by RedSharkBait
Summary: Things are slowly returning to normal now that Daniel's back. Jack, Sam, and Daniel friendship...maybe a tiny hint of romantic angst. Episode tag to the season 8 episode "Threads."


All Over Again

_I wasn't very satisfied with how Threads ended...thought I'd add some more. Enjoy!_

"So…" It was a loaded phrase if ever she'd heard one. Especially accompanied by the expectant look in Jack O'Neill's dark brown eyes and his raised eyebrows. He was leaning on a the worktable in the center of her office, resting his chin on his fists, elbows on the table.

"So…what, sir?"

"Danny's back."

"Yes, he is." She knew what he was getting at, but refused to give him any hint that she did.

"Have…you talked to him?"

"You know I have, Sir."

"Well, you _kind of_ talked to him. Did you _really_ talk to him, though?"

She continued playing dumb.

"What are you saying, Sir?"

"Carter, he just _died!_ It screwed us all up the first time, and now it's happened again. Sure, he's here now, we're all happy, life goes on."

"So…"

"So he needs to know his friends are glad to have him back." He stood up now and crossed his arms.

"He can _see_ we're relieved, but he needs to be told."

"Why…why can't you tell him, Sir?" She felt an unexpected knot in her throat, the combined grief of her father's death, the end of her relationship with Pete, and Daniel's death nearly overwhelming her as she fought for control of her voice.

"I told him_ I_ was glad to have him back, but I can't speak for you. I know you are – it's pretty obvious – but you need to tell him."

"I…I will. I want to, but it's…hard, Sir."

He responded with a step closer and a comforting hand on her arm.

"Sometimes it's hard to say the things we really…need to say. Everyone gets that feeling where they just want to scream at the top of their lungs but can't. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Thank you, sir. I'll…talk to him."

"I know you will." He smiled and let his arm drop. He hesitated for just a second, as if he wanted to tell her something more. But the moment passed and he turned to leave. She watched him go, fighting valiantly to fight the hot tears welling up behind her eyes.

Daniel looked up at the sound of a knock and Sam Carter's voice.

"Daniel? Are you busy?" She was leaning against the doorframe of his office, her green eyes glistening with moisture. Her lips smiled, but the eyes said something else.

"Not at all…are you okay?"

"I…" she let her voice trail off as she stood up. She looked down at the ground and back to him. He tried to smile encouragingly. She gave a sound like a sigh of frustration and stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. Then she turned and walked quickly towards him and threw her arms around his neck tightly. Her head pressed against his shoulder as she tried not to cry.

He hugged her back possessively, his own eyes moistening. It felt…right to hold her like he was, like he was the only one in the world she needed. He pressed his face against her and breathed in the scent of her hair.

Daniel tried to speak, but she started first. She pulled back from the embrace and put both hands around the back of his neck, her thumbs resting lightly on his cheeks. Her face was streaked red and her eyes shone even more than before.

"Daniel, don't you _ever_ do that to me again! Do you know what it felt like _the first time?_ Stop…_dying!_"

He had to laugh at the seemingly bizarre instruction. He took her hands gently and held them.

"Sam…I'm sorry. Jack told me about…" he searched for the right words, unsure where to start. He finally settled on avoiding all sensitive areas of conversation.

"…he told me about everything. I wish I could have been here for you. There's nothing I can say."

"Then don't say anything." Her voice caught as she wrapped her arms around him once again, this time around his waist. He hugged her shoulders once again and kissed the top of her head as gently as possible.

Neither knew how long they stood in that room, leaned against each other for support figuratively as well as literally. Finally, they pulled away from one another, and they were both smiling.

"Thanks, Daniel."

"Thank you."

"You need to know…how much you matter to me. If I lost you, I…I don't know where I'd be."

"Well, I'm here now."

"Yeah. Glad you're back, Daniel." Her voice caught again, but she still smiled.

"I don't know about you, but I could use some coffee. And a walk."

"That sounds nice." They walked slowly to the door and left the room. They walked to corridor to the commissary slowly, enjoying one another's company. They joked back and forth, and things seemed to slowly return to normal.

Neither Daniel or Sam noticed that they were being watched. Jack O'Neill smiled as the two friends smiled at each other as they turned and walked out of his view around a bend in the corridor. He'd give it a minute, and then join them in the commissary. _Yeah, he's back. Thanks for staying, Daniel._ Jack smiled even wider as he thought about how good it felt to have his friend back. He glanced at his watch, decided it was close enough, and strode down the corridor. Things were starting anew, all over again. Life felt good, and everything seemed alright for now.

_Please Review! Please..._


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